


In the Cards

by Eve_Louise (Stregatrek)



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Friends being friendly, Julian is sad because season six was hard, M/M, Mostly Dialogue, mild pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-17
Updated: 2016-06-17
Packaged: 2018-07-15 16:19:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7229719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stregatrek/pseuds/Eve_Louise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A poker night at Vic's at the end of season six</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Cards

"You haven't been spending much time with Garak lately," Jadzia observed, breaking the silent concentration of their first hand of the night, pitching her voice to be heard over Vic's singing.  


"I know what he did," Julian said simply, the tone of his voice at odds with the drawn expression on his face as he moved his cards around in his hand.   


"I don't know what you're talking about," Jadzia frowned at him, sliding two of her own cards to the dealer and receiving replacements.  


Julian shook his head. "No, and you shouldn't. Top secret, between him and the captain. I only figured it out because I'm-" he gestured self-deprecatingly at his head with his cards, rolling his eyes as he did so.  


"So you're going out with that ensign because of something top secret between Garak and the captain?"  


"It's... Harder to explain than that. It's been different, lately, between us, and I just think it would be a good idea to... Get myself back out there, try to move on."   


"Really? Not that I'm against it, of course," O'Brien added, "but when we were on the Defiant you two were practically a courting couple," he wrinkled his nose at the memory of his own brief encounter with Cardassian courtship rituals.   


Julian made a low sound in the back of his throat, putting down his cards to take a drink. "I know."  


"I think you're overreacting," Jadzia said, her tone soft even though the volume was at its usual exuberant Jadzia level. "Maybe you shouldn't be going out with anyone else just yet."  


At her side, her dour husband growled his agreement. "To engage in a relationship with someone you have no honest feelings for is _not _honorable."__  


Julian flared, "In human culture, Mr. Worf, we often engage in relationships to _build _honest feelings based on initial mutual attraction. That is all I am doing. It's perfectly normal."__  


"Maybe, when you aren't doing it to forget about someone else," Jadzia said, glancing up from her cards to meet his eyes. "Call," she added, referring to the game in progress.  


Bashir exhaled through his nose, making a sound of frustration as he tossed down his cards. "I can't believe this. After all the years of telling me to leave well enough alone, you're all actually encouraging me to get involved with Garak,"  


"Now, Julian, be fair- _I _never told you to leave well enough alone." Jadzia said, examining the face-up cards around the table and beginning to scoop on her winnings.__  


"I may have," O'Brien confessed, "But I didn't realize it was so... Important to you," he looked down into his drink rather than at Julian, who shook his head and picked up the new cards the dealer slid toward him.  


"It doesn't matter anymore, anyway." Julian said. "I doubt he'd have me, and even if he would I doubt Starfleet- or the Captain for that matter- would approve of having an officer with intimate ties to someone who's done what Garak has."  


O'Brien seemed relieved, though he tried to hide it in deference to the feelings indicated by Julian's crumpled face. "Well, maybe it's just not in the cards right now,"  


"In the cards," Jadzia repeated with a smile, and Julian tried to pull himself together for his friends, giving a hollow laugh and starting the betting by tossing in two chips.


End file.
